Of course, this kind of comparison of combat strength also proved one thing from another angle.
That was that the worldbuilding of Honkai: Star Rail had been incredibly successful.
Otherwise, the audience wouldn't have immersed themselves in this universe, taking the perspective of its inhabitants and fiercely debating who was stronger or weaker.
And when words like "Destruction" and "war of the gods," which had once seemed completely impossible to associate with Amphoreus, began to establish a connection with the planet through this PV...
No one could guess where things would go next. Nor could anyone figure out how Amphoreus' reincarnation cycles, the mysteries surrounding Phainon, and this grand appearance of the Lord Ravagers were supposed to connect.
But the more unknown it was, the more there was to look forward to.
...
But among the global fanbase... the Greeks felt quite differently.
At first, they had been just as excited as audiences around the world. But after that excitement faded... they began to feel an indescribable sense of worry and pressure.
Because if Amphoreus were compared to a team, then without a doubt, it was Greece's team. Many Greeks regarded Amphoreus as a projection of Greece within a fictional story.
Thus, after the Lord Ravagers made their shocking appearance... they instinctively thought of one thing, what was Amphoreus supposed to do?
The Lord Ravagers of Destruction would gather on Amphoreus. Yet on this pitiful planet, even those powerful Titans were already gone.
Now, all that remained was a young man filled with rage, standing all alone. And the Nameless.
But that still wouldn't help. Honkai: Star Rail wasn't some trashy series where someone could randomly get a power-up and suddenly defeat enemies far above their level.
Nor would there be a situation where a group of Lord Ravagers charged into Amphoreus only to become stepping stones for someone else.
Would dawn truly come? Before this PV appeared, everyone had firmly believed it would.
But now, they were beginning to feel somewhat gloomy.
Inside the viewing hall... Sophia glanced at the audience members gathered in groups of twos and threes, intensely discussing the contents of the PV and the future direction of Amphoreus, before withdrawing her gaze.
The excitement brought by the PV had already faded from her face, replaced instead by pessimism.
"What are you thinking about?" Thalia looked at her new friend's expression and asked.
"I'm wondering whether Amphoreus is destined to become a tragedy." Sophia said somewhat uneasily, "This PV is very good. It's incredibly impressive."
"After all, it's another expansion of Honkai: Star Rail's worldview, and this aspect is also my favorite. So I can understand why fans all around the world are so excited right now."
"But... you know, it's difficult for us not to project our own emotions onto Amphoreus. And then there's the recent issue with the Arts Committee..."
At this point, Sophia gave a bitter smile and said, "Sometimes I feel like MiHoYo might actually have a time machine. Otherwise, why would the events in the series have such strong parallels with the reality we're experiencing?"
"So it's difficult for me not to connect what happens in reality with what happens in the story."
"Just when we all thought the culture we loved would finally revive, the Arts Committee suddenly interfered."
"And just when I genuinely believed that after all the Chrysos Heirs had departed, Phainon would inherit their will and bring the sacrifices of Amphoreus to a perfect conclusion, a PV like this suddenly appeared..."
Thalia deeply sympathized with Sophia's words.
Whether in stories... Or in reality... Whenever they thought everything was finally going to develop in a positive direction, things would always rapidly take a turn for the worse.
Although Amphoreus' ban had been circumvented through all kinds of clever methods... Greece's own "Lord Ravager" still existed.
Like a Sword of Damocles hanging overhead.
However, Thalia was somewhat more optimistic than Sophia.
"We might be the people who can empathize with Amphoreus the most..."
"This kind of immersive experience isn't something fans from other places can really understand... No, I can't exactly say that either, but they may not be as invested as we are."
Thalia said with a smile.
"Is that really a good thing?" Seeing how happily her friend was smiling, Sophia asked helplessly.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Thalia looked seriously at her and spoke the feelings buried in her heart:
"Actually, I've come to realize something..."
"No matter what kind of ending this story eventually reaches, whether it's beautiful and romantic, or sorrowful and despairing..."
"I think I can accept it now."
"It's the same in reality. The matter with the Arts Committee, all that obvious bullying and oppression, I can endure all of it."
"Because the flame has already been lit."
Hearing Thalia's words, Sophia froze, while the other girl continued: "So, Sophia, if one day the spirit you love dies, and the culture you love dies, will you die along with them?"
"Will you become the same as you were before?"
The same... as before? Sophia pondered this question in her mind.
Then she quickly shook her head.
No. Even if the next Genesis failed, even if Amphoreus truly ended up being completely banned... She would never return to the person she had once been.
Nor would these things make her once again regard the Arts Committee the same as before, as she had in the past.
She had already seen a forest unlike anything she had ever known. There was no possibility that she could return to shelter beneath a single barren tree.
Her understanding had already changed.
"This is the spark."
"Olympus was utterly crushed by Honkai: Star Rail precisely because the 'Olympus' they spoke of had never truly understood the meaning of passing on the flame."
"Fire isn't merely physical flame. It's also the spiritual flame within each and every one of us."
"Just like what I said to comfort everyone during the unrest at the Arts Committee."
"They can never extinguish the flame that has already been ignited within our hearts!"
Thalia took Sophia's hand.
This kindhearted girl, who came from a more noble and wealthy background than herself, had conveyed her warmth into Thalia's heart through her graceful manner and words.
And now, Thalia would give Sophia the resilience that poverty and injustice had tempered within her as a gift in return.
"I..."
"I understand."
Sophia carefully savored her friend's words, feeling as though she had suddenly been enlightened.
Her dimmed eyes lit up once again. She instantly remembered the philosophy books she had read to follow the trend after watching Amphoreus.
The principles that had once seemed obscure and difficult to comprehend suddenly became clear at this moment:
"Do not be afraid merely because the road ahead is dark."
"Nor should you let yourself become dim because of an inevitable fate."
"The value of existence lies precisely in shining brightly through the process."
"This is the core idea of existential philosophy. I... finally understand it."
Seeing that her friend was finally no longer gloomy, Talia also smiled happily.
After truly understanding these philosophies, they could truly stand together with the many heroes of Amphoreus, and with the sages behind them.
"So, there's still hope, right?!"
Immediately, Sophia, who had only just brightened up, began muttering quietly again.
"Mm! No matter how many Lord Ravagers come!"
"I believe there will definitely be hope!"
Talia clenched her fist and vigorously cheered herself on. "After all, what remains now is the most blazing sun!!"
She believed in MiHoYo. A company capable of writing a story like this.
A company capable of portraying Greek philosophy with such depth that even the Greeks themselves had benefited greatly from it.
They would surely write an even more shocking story at such a crucial point in the plot, one that would allow them to continue thinking deeply.
...
Time passed day by day.
The thoughts this PV had stirred among fans everywhere, and the impact it had caused, continued to ferment.
And all the anticipation and arguments ultimately pointed toward Episode Four, which could explain everything.
Finally. Under the anticipation of countless people, Saturday arrived.
Perhaps even the heavens were cooperating.
On this day, most regions currently experiencing daytime were blessed with brilliant sunshine.
...
In order to avoid the server crashes that had already occurred several times before due to excessive traffic, many viewers had already camped out on the official website a day in advance.
But even that could not stop the explosive surge in traffic.
Even MiHoYo's official website servers, which had been handed over to Silver Wolf for maintenance and expanded in advance, were nearly pushed to their absolute limits.
Many streaming platforms were in the same situation.
But ultimately, when the time arrived, everyone was able to receive the video smoothly.
...
Time: Saturday, 12:00.
Global streaming traffic curve: 487%?
Number of viewers: 1,290,000,000
MiHoYo official website: Running under overload.
Major streaming platforms: Overloaded.
...
: It's finally here!
: The explosion I've been waiting for is here aaaaaah!
: Ever since the Myriad Celestia Trailer ended, these few short days have felt like years! miHoYo!
: This is too painful! Waiting for updates is too painful! I want a time machine! I want to travel into the future and binge Star Rail to my heart's content!
: Episode Four! The Episode Four I've been dreaming about day and night!!
: Come on! No matter what kind of ending it is! Today, I'll face it head-on!
: The anger and unwillingness Episode Three brought us are still vivid in my mind! Everyone who could be killed has already been killed! Now, I'll follow Phainon! I'll face my fear head-on! Come on!!! Let the storm rage even more violently!!!
: The truly universally anticipated Episode Four! miHoYo, you better deliver! The whole world is watching you! Episode Four has to absolutely explode!
: That stupid Greek Arts Committee! Go die!
: Holy shit! It's out!
: For the Sun is Set to Die?! What does this title mean?!
...
Amid the exploding bullet comments, darkness appeared together with MiHoYo's logo.
Just as everyone thought the opening would be the same as before, music suddenly exploded.
The horns of war, frantic drumbeats! Mixed among them were the heavy sounds of clashing blades!
Phainon abruptly appeared on the screen, holding his sword in one hand and using it to cover half of his face.
This was... This was a scene that had appeared before!
That moment when Phainon rose up during the campaign against Aquila!
Before the viewers could take a closer look, the scene switched again amid the impassioned music!
Phainon furiously swung his sword forward. But halfway through the swing, he transformed into his other form, spreading both arms wide and roaring furiously toward the skies, with dazzling golden light repeatedly erupting outward from his body!
Finally. The flashing images and exhilarating music all came to an end as Phainon waved his hand, revealing his full form beneath the burning crimson sky.
The music... also changed into Coronial Radiance's humming. The viewers stared blankly at the figure on the screen.
The golden and purple wings extending to the left and right, above and below. The divine markings and halo of the Worldbearing Titan behind his head.
And his sword in his left hand, now completely enveloped in golden and violet-gold light, while his right hand held a pitch-black, ominous sphere.
It was truly breathtaking! No one had expected them to drop such a bombshell right at the beginning!
The viewers should have been exhilarated by such a scene. But the repeated humming in the background made their scalps tingle.
Only after the scene remained on-screen for several seconds did the screen finally turn black again.
Only then were the viewers' blank minds finally able to start functioning again.
...
: Holy shit, they're going this hard right from the start?!
: Divine Phainon... is so fucking cool! So fucking imposing! But that humming is way too unsettling!
: Fuck, is it really okay to start the episode like this? My mind went completely blank watching it. I don't even know what to say anymore.
: What does miHoYo mean by this? What the hell are they foreshadowing again?!
: Aaaaaah! They really know how to keep us in suspense! Just how did Divine Phainon come to be?!
: No idea! But this episode really is absolutely insane!
...
The comments exploded wildly.
This unique experience of an opening-screen animation was something that had to be faithfully recreated.
And the effect was indeed excellent.
After the opening bombshell, the story officially began.
....
Okhema.
Two guards were rapidly moving through the Black Tide with Stelle.
This continued directly from the final part of Stelle and Phainon's storyline in Episode Three.
Phainon had already entered the Vortex of Genesis alone. The two guards he had left behind were taking Stelle to find Dan Heng, intending to send the two Nameless away from this place at any cost.
The camera followed the three as they sprinted onward, quickly reaching the entrance.
The audience immediately became nervous as well.
After all, Dan Heng had already been fighting the Flame Reaver here for some time. No one knew what condition he was in.
However what no one had expected was, when Stelle arrived, she immediately saw a shocking sight!
The Flame Reaver, who should have been locked in battle with Dan Heng, was instead frozen rigid in midair, completely motionless!
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
T/N:
Hello Everyone, Lord Island here.
Below are novels which I'm translating, stopped translating. I wanted to know your thoughts about starting new translations...
...
Current novels being translated -
I just wanted you to make a movie: You made a Honkai Star Rail movie
Lord of Mysteries: Return of the Stars!
...
Currently stopped translating -
Honkai: Star Rail: Bonds at Max Level, Even the Aeons Have To Fall~
I'm in Genshin Impact, what the hell is HSR Counterattack System? - Currently only in patre0n, only 2 chaps done.
...
What next?
I recently said that I can start translating other novels and I have picked up another translation, Starting from Amphoreus - This is currently only in patre0n. I'll post it here on Webnovel once I have stockpiled a number of chaps.
And, I think I can pick up another one or two more translations.
So needed a bit of your thoughts.
I already have a few picks for the two translations too,
-one is for Zonless Zone Zero,
-the other one is continuing I'm in Genshin Impact, what the hell is HSR Counterattack System? [This is a Genshin Fanfic.]
-if not how about renewing the Honkai: Star Rail: Bonds at Max Level, Even the Aeons Have To Fall~; but for that, the author has stopped updating at chapter 335.
-if you guys want a newer HSR fanfic starting with Planarcadia, I can try to see if I can find one too.
Let me know if you have any of your own suggestions~